It’s a fast, easy, one-bowl, no mixer cake recipe that everyone loves. I used oil rather than butter which keeps the cake extra moist and since pumpkin naturally makes everything moister, there’s no chance of a dry cake here.

The thick layer of tangy cream cheese frosting complements the warming spices in the cake perfectly. My family said the cake reminded them of carrot cake, minus the carrots, thanks to the spices and frosting.

The cake is irresistible and sinking your teeth into it is pure comfort and bliss.

Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield:one 8x8-inch pan, 9 to 12 generous squares

Total Time:about 2 hours, for cooling

Prep Time:5 minutes

Cook Time:about 35 to 40 minutes

The cake is soft, springy, and brimming with pumpkin flavor. It’s a fast, easy, one-bowl, no mixer cake recipe that everyone loves. I used oil rather than butter which keeps the cake extra moist and since pumpkin naturally makes everything moister, there’s no chance of a dry cake here. The thick layer of tangy cream cheese frosting complements the warming spices in the cake perfectly. The cake is irresistible and sinking your teeth into it is pure comfort and bliss.

Directions:

Cake – Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside.

To a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and whisk to combine.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and stir until just combined, don’t overmix. Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes (I baked 36 minutes) or until center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, no batter. Set cake aside on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting it so the frosting doesn’t melt.

Frosting – To a large bowl (or to the bowl of a stand mixer) add the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, salt, and whisk until smooth and fluffy or beat with an electric mixer (or use the paddle attachment of a stand mixer). Turn frosting out onto cake and spread into a smooth, even, flat layer using a spatula or knife (If you have a small amount leftover, it will keep airtight in the fridge for at least 2 weeks). Slice and serve. Cake will keep airtight at room temp for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. I’m comfortable storing cream cheese frosting at room temp, but if you’re not store in the fridge noting cake will be more prone to drying out in the fridge.

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84 comments on “Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting”

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I am so happy to have found this recipe! This the best pumpkin spice cake recipe I have ever tried! It’s perfectly moist, has amazing texture, and has excellent flavor! I am eating me a slice of it right now and am loving every bite of it! <3

I think the cake would be fine, keep it covered, very airtight at room temp but don’t frost it til the night before. But honestly this is a VERY easy cake and you can knock the whole thing out super fast!

Oh my , oh my , oh my… what an awesome recipe ! Both the cake and the icing are super-easy to make…my kind of recipe ! My youngest daughtes’ birthday is October 11 so she’s always had to share it with the Thanksgiving (Canada) holiday and pumpkin pie ! She loves anything pumpkin , so this year l surprised her with this cake for her 29th bithday ! It was a big hit with her and all the family members it was shared with ! Thank you so much for this recipe…l will definitely be making it again !! ?

I just frosted my cake and had a piece. OMGGGGG. Was sooo good had to have a second. Okay no dinner for me. Lol. I followed the directions to a tee it just added a pinch of cinnamon to the frosting. Sooo good. Actually I never made cake from scratch. So easy and delicious. Don’t think I’ll ever go back to boxed. I have my new holiday cake!!!

Thanks for the five star review and glad you have made it twice and are making it again! Since you’ve had such good luck, I wouldn’t change a thing. Brown sugar is heavier and moister and it could throw things off a bit.

OMG! I just made this pumpkin cake and it is DELICIOUS! It was so easy so I was really surprised at how tasty, moist and soft this cake turned out! Thank you so much for sharing! <3 I’ll definitely be trying out more of your recipes! :)

I wanted an easy and delicious pumpkin cake recipe and found it with this! I made it yesterday and it was sooo good. ; )I will definitely make it again. My cake in 8 x8 pan only went about a little over half up side, it still was good but I wondered if it was supposed to be higher. Big hit with family either way.

Usually it does rise a bit higher than that. I am thinking your baking powder/soda may be not as active and fresh as you want it to be. That is often the case when things don’t rise as well as expected. Glad it was a big hit though with your family!

To me this was very reminiscent of a carrot cake without all the the things I don’t like.I’m not a fan of nuts in food and I’m not a big corrot person but I like a dense, decadent moist spicy cake and that is exactly what this is!served it for Thanksgiving and people said it taste like a Thanksgiving pie cake!It’s not overly spicy but it is so moist.I have celiac disease so I replaced the flower with King Arthur gluten-free and I didn’t have to make any other adjustments!

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Hi, I'm Averie and I'm so glad you've found my site! You'll find fast and easy recipes from dinners to desserts that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!